The effect of a single 75 mg preoperative dose of pregabalin on postoperative pain in rhinoplasty: A double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of a single preoperative dose of 75 mg of pregabalin on postoperative pain in rhinoplasty. Volunteers with a physical status of ASA I were included in our study after informed written consent. This was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. All pregabalin and placebo capsules were given to patients orally 1 h prior to surgery. A standard open rhinoplasty procedure was performed on all patients. All patients underwent the same general anesthesia and postoperative analgesic protocol, with the only difference between the two studied groups being the use of a single dose of pregabalin prior to surgery. Finally, pain intensity was measured at 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24 h after surgery, using a horizontal visual analogue scale (VAS), and was analyzed statistically. 128 volunteers - 33 men (25.8%) and 95 women (74.2%) - with a mean age of 26.23 ± 7.16 were included in this study. Pain intensity scores were consistently lower in patients who received pregabalin preoperatively (p = 0.002); however, the incidence of nausea, drowsiness, difficulty in concentrating, dry mouth, and constipation showed no differences between the two study groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the administration of pregabalin should be added to the perioperative protocol whenever appropriate.